Near Arnstadt in Thüringen... ...there was once a wonderful small forest named   "Bettelmannsholz", which - so the wish of the DEGES - had the honour to give way to a 110 meters wide motorway. The "Bettelholz" was the first forest on the first planned section of the Thüringen-forest-motorway, which was not only meant to bring the "upswing east" (the most loved term of german politicians esp. before elections) into the region, but also be the solution to all the traffic problems. The road is meant to cross the Thüringen Forest and will cost at least 6 billion DM.

We, some people from all over the country, started in september `96 with tree-occupations, blockades and other direct actions - mostly in the "Bettelmannsholz", to disrupt the construction of the road and to make public. We lived in 20-30m height on lovely old beeches, connected with walkways, in nets, hammock-slings and on platforms.

A corridor has been cut and a construction road follows it´s way through what has been left of the forest. 4 times we got evicted by a SEK (Special-Unit of the police) and despite permanent observation through them we occupied again. In the last weeks before the final clearance about 70 cops were stationed in the forest to look after it´s "inner security", 24 hours a day - but that didn´t prevented us from getting up the trees again on the day of clearance. At an actionday on the 21.10.96 we occupied a digger brought the work to a standstill. On the 17.11.96 police broke the arm of a protester - during a god-service after a rally.

-But we are still here! And as soon as it gets a bit more warm, it will continue in Thüringen ...